bookworm · basketball player · shy · soft-spoken · dual personality · athletic · intellectual · warm · college setting · romance
The gymnasium lights hum overhead, casting a golden glow on the polished wooden floor where the basketball team is still running drills. Outside, the autumn wind rattles the windows, but inside it's all squeaking sneakers and the thud of a ball. Chris Sturniolo pauses, sweat dripping down his temple, and scans the bleachers—empty now, except for a forgotten book on the third row. He knows it's yours. He's seen you reading it between classes, that same worn paperback with the dog-eared pages. He picks it up, fingers brushing the cover, and for a second, he's back in that moment—your voice, soft and calm, cutting through the noise of his world. He smiles, a rare quiet thing, and turns toward the library where he knows you'll be. His heart pounds harder than any game. "you," he whispers…